Hitching-weight.



No. 843,543. V PATEN'ITED FEB. 5, 1907. I. MATSUMO IO. HITGHING WEIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8,1906.

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HlTCHING-WEIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1907.

Application filed June 8, 1906. Serial No. 320,903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IKKO MATsUMOTO, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hitching-IVeights,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in weights for hitching horsesand other animals to keep them at a given place during the ab sence ofthe driver or other attendant; and the object of the invention is toprovide a portable weight to which the animal may be hitched, whichweight will be more diflicult of transportation by being dragged by theanimal than the solid weights now in common use.

The invention consists of certain details of construction andarrangement of parts, such as will be hereinafter fully described, andpointed out in the appended claims, and I accomplish the objects of theinvention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing,which shows the weight in vertical central section with the severalparts of the device in the positions which they assume when the weightis in use for the purposes intended.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is a heavy body, preferably of cast-iron,here shown as hemispherical in shape. It is adapted to rest upon itsfiat side, as shown in the draw ing, and extending vertically from thecenter of this bottom is the cylindrical opening or chamber 2. Thischamber does not extend with the same diameter through the body 1, butis restricted near the top of said body, so as to form the shoulder 3. 4is the inlet to the chamber 2 at the top of said chamber and willpreferably have a conical mouth, as shown in the drawing. 5 is a metalplate making a loose fit in the chamber2. 6 is a spiral spring, thelower end of which is made fast to the center of the plate 5. The upperend of the spring terminates with the eyelet 7. 8 is a ring on theoutside of the body 1, too large to pass through the hole 4, and 9 is achain connecting the ring 8 with the eyelet 7. 10 is a second ring,which is connected, by means of the chain 11, with the ring 8, and 12 isa spiral spring through which the chain 11 passes. The ends of thespring 12 are passed through links of the chain 11, after which saidends are bent to form loops to prevent the withdrawal of the spring fromtheir respective links. The chain is made loose in the spring when thelatter is in its normal or unstretched condition, as shown in the dottedlines in the drawing.

Located within the chamber 2, between the plate 5 and the shoulder 3,isa spiral spring 13, which is large enough to surround the spring 6. Thespring 13 is normally in an expanded condition and operates in thisdevice by being compressed. The usual hitching-strap will be tiedthrough the ring 10.

Some horses have the habit of dragging their weights for long distances,even though they may be as heavy as twenty pounds or more but with thedevice as above described the elasticity of the several springs willpermit the animal to move forward a short distance without moving theweight 1, and the tension of the springs Will tend constantly to pullhim back again. A pull on the chain 11 will expand the spring 12, andthis pull will be transmitted by the chain 9 to the spring 6, elongatingthe latter and causing a compression of the spring 13.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and wishto secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A hitching weight having an orifice therein With a restriction toform a shoulder near one end of the orifice, a plate located within theorifice, a spiral spring between the plate and said shoulder, a spiralspring Within the first spring having one end fastened to said plate anda chain attached to the other end of said last spring.

2. In a hitching-weight, a heavy body having an orifice with arestriction to form a shoulder at one end, a plate mounted loosely insaid orifice, a spirally-wound spring between said plate and shoulder, aspirallywound spring within said first spring having one end attached tothe plate and having an eye at its other end, a chain entering theorifice through its restricted end, said chain being attached to the eyein the second spring, and a third spring on the outside of said bodythrough which the chain passes, the ends of the spring being connectedwith links of the chain, the chain being normally slack within thespring.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 31st day of May, A. D. 1906.

IKKO MATSUMOTO.

Witnesses:

J. A. MINTURN, F. W. WOERNER.

